Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1887-05-24
WAR TINE MAKESHIFTS.
SOME OF THE ExPEDIENTS FOR SUP
PLYING NATURES WANTS.

SOME OF THE ExPEDIENTs FOR SUP
PLYING NATURES WANTS.
Food and Clothing, in the War Period
in the Southern States, Were Difficult
to Get-The Mother of Invention Piled
Her Wits.
RALEIGH, N. c., May 16.
One of the most curious features of the
late war in the south was the variety
of expedients to which the people re-
sorted to supply those wants which be-
came pressing. Not until communication
with "the north" had been cut off did the
people recognize the fact, and fully realize it,
that the south had been actually dependent
upon the northern manufacturer for hum
dreds Of articles in daily use. Factories were
few, and these in the main made only the
commoner kinds of tobacco and cotton cloths.
Every article found in a store in 1861 was
sure to be of northern manufacture, and with
that always higher appreciation of other
peoples handiwork or talents, was held in
higher esteem than anything home made.
Each Christmas, in those days, shoes were
given the negroes A common question was,
"Who made dem shOesr "Dey wasn't made, :"
would be the reply; "dey come outen de
store" By the close of 1861 home made goods
came into use, mainly from pure necessity
The latter being the mother of invention, it
speedily followed that in North Carolina in
ventors and clever inventions became quickly
numerous and varied. Salt, shoes, clothing
and hats were prime necessities. The demand
for salt was very great There were two
sources Of supply-the sea and the salt works
in Virginia. But these could do little toward
supplying the demand at first, though later
their output was larger A sack of
salt, which at first sold for 81,
rose to $50 in gold, and even then
it was privilege to obtain it. Many families
in tine interior made salt from the earth in
their smoke houses. This earth had gathered
In the course of years much salt from the
meats which were smoked in such houses in
those days. 1t was dug up and leached in a
rude ash hopper, just as ashes are leached for
I've. brine, with more or less strength, was
obtained. This was concentrated by boiling
and then allowed to crystalline. 1t was not
the best article in the world, but it was I'M
deniably salt, which was the one thing needful.
The government later took charge of the salt
works and employed specially trained men in
large numbers i'll the manufacture of that
necessity. Its price was regulated by mill
tary rules, and it became more abundant and
OF far better quality.
~.
For clothing, homespun was the only wear,
In those days rude spinning wheels and
hand looms of antique pattern were common.
Those who had relinquisbed the use of these,
or who had used them only in the manu-
facture OF servants clothing, speedily found
1t necessary to use them themselves, Others
were made, with some improvements in de-
sign, and there was an eager search for dye-
ing materials. These were as rule yege-
table. Indigo, barks of various kinds etc
were largely used. The country weaver who
made good article of brown jeans. with
cotton warp and wool filling" was in great
demand. Many of the wealthest and most
women both made and wore the
coarsest of homespun cloths. For underwear
rough factory cotton or cotton made on the
hand looms was the best thing to be obtained.
IL was said by very old people that time
mad been turned back three-quarters of a
century, and that people in the main resorted
to as primitive methods Of living and prepal-
ing clothing, etc, as were il use in the DAYS of
the revolution of l176. Leather was in great
demand, and since 'there is nothing like
leather" it was found that it admitted of no
Many farmers had tan troucbs
made out of large logs or of planks, and
large enough to hold dozen hides. In these
they rudely tanned with oak bark the skins
of their own and their neighbors' cattle for
upper leather. The sole leather, as a rule
was made at the regular tanneries. So verv
Urgent and constant was the demand for
shoes that frequently the hides were not al.
owed to remain in the troughs long enoupb
% become tanned thoroughly, but had to be
AIKEN out and used while partly raw. They
we're utilized while of a brown or rpsset
'olor, and were not black. ATTEMPTS at mol.
shing such leather were infrequent. The de-
nand for sole leather overtaxed the canacitv
II the tanneries, and the farm houses were
'ansacked for any articles in which heavy
Gather was used. Old trunks were ont mn
md particularly the ample skirts, then in
lse, OF saddles, If the owner of such a saddle
lid not speedily utilize its heavy flaps for hi,
'wn use some one else would steal tha,
'hoeless men could not resist the temntatior
4 such saddle, and instances wore fro
luent where the owner, having left his borse
added and tied to post, returned TO find
lis saddle innocent of skirts. Such tbefts 90
urred even outside Of churches. The f,n of
he saddle went out of use, and the rawhide
addle without it came in vogue Iuiversallv
'ole leather finally became so scarce and higb
Tat the people resorted to wood as n suhsti
ute for the soles Of shoes. These "wondan
ottoms, as they were called, consisted of n !
ole and heel all in solid piece. 1t was On, |
Ut OF maple OF gum wood as a rule, some
INES with knife, again bv rude machinery
.ater such wood bottoms were sold bv o
lumber or expert makers, who kent q, b,n1 |
arious sizes for mems wear Farm hand, |
'ore them largely. From the middle III. /
Die turned up toward the toe. so tha, |
he foot in walking would have a roIlin@
notion forward, which was necessary. as
10 rigid sole could not bend Into a groove
nt around the upper edge of the wooden ho,.
,m the upper leather was secured bv means
wooden pegs or iron tacks, when the lattar
onld be had. 1t was found that the wool
ottom made dry, warm shoe, and after
TIE practice, one which was worn without
'ecial inconvenience The heel and solo
ere always protected by narrow st,ans If
on around the edges, to prevent rapid wear
Nc SHOES made great deal of noise wben
seq III the house or on hard ground. and on
Shts when there was stiffness in tho ,i,
nd the ground was frozen hard the foot
cps OF brisk walkers thus shod were easily
'ara at distance of half mile. Old mon
ad difficulty In becoming accustomed 70 mi,
lde and new footgear, and one venarahl.